Method of operating a warp knitting machine, especially a raschel knitting machine, and device for carrying out the method

ABSTRACT

Method of operating a warp knitting machine equipped with a pattern-changing device for changing pattern chains which comprises reducing the operation of the machine from a higher to a lower speed before changing a pattern, and increasing the operation of the machine from the lower to the higher speed after changing the pattern chain, and device for carrying out the method.

United States Patent Fritz 1 May 23, 1972 [54] METHOD OF OPERATING AWARP References Cited KNITTING MACHINE, ESPECIALLY A UNITED STATESPATENTS RASCHEL KNITTING MACHINE,AND 3 158 013 11/1964 Monda y ..66/56DEVICE F OR CARRYING OUT THE 3,446,039 3/1969 Schmid ..66/86 METHODFOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS Inventor: Egon Fritz, Monchengladbach,Germany Walter Reiners, Monchengladbach, Germany Nov. 13, 1969 Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 13, 1968 Germany ..P 18 08 479.2

U.S. Cl ..66/86, 66/154 Int. Cl. ..D04b 23/00 Field of Search ..66/56,86, 154, 155, 156, 82

399,758 10/1933 Great Britain ..66/82 Primary Examiner-Ronald F eldbaumAtt0rneyCurt M. Avery, Arthur E. Wilfond, Herbert L. Lerner and DanielJ. Tick 57 ABSTRACT Method of operating a warp knitting machine equippedwith a pattem-changing device for changing pattern chains whichcomprises reducing the operation of the machine from a higher to a lowerspeed before changing a pattern, and increasing the operation of themachine from the lower to the higher speed after changing the patternchain, and device for carrying out the method.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures A In...

METHOD OF OPERATING A WARP KNITTING MACHINE, ESPECIALLY A RASCHELKNI'I'I'ING MACHINE, AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD My inventionrelates to method of operating a warp knitting machine, especially aRaschel knitting machine, provided with a pattem-changing device, and adevice for carrying out this method.

In machines of the foregoing type, the movement of the eye needle guidebar thereof is controlled sequentially or simultaneously superimposed bypattern wheels, discs or drums with chain links having two or moretraces or tracks. For this purpose, there are required in predeterminedsequence cams having varying lifter or lobe levels or pattern chainshaving individual chain links at varying levels. When changing aspecific pattern repeat, it is necessary to effect an abruptdisplacement, between successive stitch-forming operations, of themembers which sense or follow the cam surface or the surface of thepattern chain. Such devices are known as patternchanging devices and areusually referred to in Germany as Kettenwechselautomat or automaticchain changing device.

The abruptness in displacing the members sensing or following the cam orpattern chain surfaces is necessary because the displacing operationmust be carried out supplementarily during the normal course ofoperation of the machine, no specific time interval being allocated ormade available therefor during that normal operating period. Since thechanging operation cannot be further accelerated by heretofore knownmeans because both the speed and the wear of the machine componentstaking part in the changing operation would consequently be too great,warp and Raschel knitting machines provided with pattern-changingdevices have heretofore been operated as so-called slow-moving machines.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide method and devicefor operating a warp knitting machine which avoid the aforementionedshortcomings of heretofore known methods and devices of this generaltype and which, more specifically, avoid the output or performancelimitations of such machines by maximizing the operating speed thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I provide in accordancewith my invention, method of operating a warp knitting machine, such asa Raschel knitting machine especially, which is equipped with apattern-changing device for changing pattern chains, which comprisesreducing the operating speed of the machine from a higher to a lowervalue before changing a pattern chain, and increasing the operatingspeed of the machine from the lower to the higher value after changingthe pattern chain.

According to another feature of my invention, 1 automate the respectivereduction and increase in the operating speed of the machine.

According to further features of the invention, the warp knitting orRaschel knitting machine runs slower during the displacement of theelements which sense or follow the cams or the pattern chains whereas inthe remaining period of the run, during the stitch formation, themachine runs at a considerably increased operating speed as in the casefor warp knitting or Raschel knitting machines without any device forpattern chain changing.

In accordance with my invention, 1 also provide in a warp knittingmachine for carrying out the foregoing method, a control devicecoordinated with a pattem-changing device or a control device for thepattern-changing device for reducing the speed of operation of the warpknitting machine during the operation in which the chain of thepattem-changing device is. In this manner, the operational speed of thewarp knitting or Raschel knitting machine is influenced or affected bythose control members which initiate the chain changing operation.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the inventionare set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as method ofoperating a warp knitting machine, especially a Raschel knittingmachine, and device for carrying out the method, it is nevertheless notintended to be limited to the details shown, since various modificationsmay be made therein without departing from the spirit of the inventionand within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The invention, however, together with additional objects and advantagesthereof will be best understood from the following description when readin connection with the accompanying FIGURE of the drawing in which FIGS.1 and 2 are similar schematic views of the device of my invention asemployed in a conventional warp knitting or Raschel knitting machine asseen in two different phases of operation.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown in FIG. 1 thereof a patternchanging or chain changing device constructed in accordance with myinvention. The pattern-changing device is formed of one or moreconventional chain drums 1 with chains 2 suitably carried thereby anddriven in a usual manner in synchronism with a run or pass of theknitting tools. The chain 2, for example, is sensed or followed by aroller or runner 3 which is rotatably mounted on a roller carrier 4. Theroller carrier 4 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to a lever 5which is formed with an extension at the location at which the lever 5and roller carrier 4 are in pivotal connection, the extension being inabutting engagement with a striker bar 21. Due to this abuttingrelationship, eye needle guide bars 7 are reciprocated by a push-rod 6in direction of the doubleheaded arrow 8 in accordance with thedifferent elevations of the chain links of the chains 2, which effect adisplacement of the guide bars 7.

The roller 3 is raised in a conventional manner from the chain 2 asshown in FIG. 2, in accordance with the rotation of a pattern wheel ordisc 9 for the purpose of effecting a pattern chain change. Instead ofthe pattern wheel or disc 9, a chain with a suitable number of links canalso be substituted. Transfer of the raising movement to the rollercarrier 4 is effected through the double-armed lever 10 which, with aroller 1 l pivotally carried thereby, senses or follows the pattern disc9, a tension spring 16 effecting a force-locking abutment of the roller11 against the pattern disc 9. Moreover, a strap 12 pivotally connectedto an end of the double-armed lever 10 and to the lever 5 also take partin the transfer of the raising movement.

An indexing disc or plate 14 is mounted on a rotary shaft 22 on whichthe pattern wheel ordisc 9 is also mounted and thereby driven in thedirection of the arrow 13. The indexing disc 14 actuates a controldevice 20 which automatically reduces the speed of operation of the warpknitting machine during the pattern chain changing operation. Thecontrol device 20 is formed, for example, of a conventional variable ortap-changing transformer having outlet leads 20a for energizing themotor of the main drive of the warp knitting or Raschel knittingmachine. As can be readily noted from the drawing, the indexing disc 14for the pattern wheel 9 is securely mounted on the shaft 22 so that theactuation of the control device is effected through an angle lever orbell crank 15 and a connecting rod 17 against the biasing action of acompression spring 17, so that the operating speed of the machine lasts,respectively, from just before the roller 1] falls into a recess 9afonned in the surface of the pattern disc 9 and until just after theroller 1 1 leaves the recess 90, whereby the time interval for thechange from one pattern chain to another overlaps. The reduction of themachine speed is also optically registered by an indicator 19, ifdesired.

I claim:

1. Method of operating a warp knitting machine equipped with apattem-ch'anging device for changing pattern chains which comprisesmomentarily reducing the operation of the machine from an otherwisesubstantially constant higher speed to a lower speed before changingapattern chain, and increasing the operation of the machine from thelower to the higher speed after changing the pattern chain.

2. Method according to claim I, wherein the respective reduction andincrease in operating speed are affected automatically.

synchronism with a component of the pattem-changing device, and linkagemeans engageable at one end thereof with said indexing means and at theother end thereof with said control device.

5. Warp knitting machine according to claim 3 wherein said controldevice comprises a variable transformer for energizing a motor for themain drive of the warp knitting machine, and said actuating means isoperatively connected to said transformer for reducing the energysupplied to the motor during said time interval.

1. Method of operating a warp knitting machine equipped with apattern-changing device for changing pattern chains which comprisesmomentarily reducing the operation of the machine from an otherwisesubstantially constant higher speed to a lower speed before changing apattern chain, and increasing the operation of the machine from thelower to the higher speed after changing the pattern chain.
 2. Methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the respective reduction and increase inoperating speed are affected automatically.
 3. In a warp knittingmachine equipped with a pattern-changing device, control meansoperatively connected to the pattern-changing device and comprisingactuating means effective within a time interval extending frommomentarily prior to a chain changing operation of the pattern-changingdevice to the completion of the chain changing operation, and a controldevice actuable by said actuating means for reducing the operating speedof the warp knitting machine during said time interval.
 4. Warp knittingmachine according to claim 3 wherein said actuating means includes anindexing disc rotatable in synchronism with a component of thepattern-changing device, and linkage means engageable at one end thereofwith said indexing means and at the other end thereof with said controldevice.
 5. Warp knitting machine according to claim 3 wherein saidcontrol device comprises a variable transformer for energizing a motorfor the main drive of the warp knitting machine, and said actuatingmeans is operatively connected to said transformer for reducing theenergy supplied to the motor during said time interval.